Fort Monroe Measles Tracked Back To Texas

May 20, 1989|By DAVID CHERNICKY Staff Writer

HAMPTON — From a 14-month-old boy who contracted the highly contagious disease while visiting in Texas last month, red measles has spread to at least two other children at the Fort Monroe Day Care Center and threatens many others.

"We know from our investigation that it probably involves many more children," agreed Dr. Carol Hogg, director of the Hampton Health Department.

One 3-year-old girl who apparently caught red measles at the day care center held a birthday party for 17 other children while she was infected, Rouse said. Not all the children had been immunized.

One of the three children with the disease also attended a church nursery.

Health officials declined to name the nursery but said health workers are contacting parents, urging them to check immunization records.

In addition to the confirmed cases, two children from the day care center are suspected of having red measles, she said.

About 50 children attend the day care center.

Children from the day care center and birthday party who were immunized at 15 months "are probably in good shape," Rouse said. "Those less than 15 months, the risk of becoming cases is very high."

In the Houston area, nine deaths have been blamed on a measles epidemic since December, said Lauri Andress, spokeswoman for the city's Department of Health. The area has had 1,713 reported cases of the disease.

"Prior to Nov. 2, 1988, Houston only had two confirmed cases of measles," Andress said.

The disease can be transmitted from one child to another four days before the rash appears, Rouse said. The incubation period for measles usually is 10 to 14 days, health officials said.

Health officials have urged parents to watch their children carefully for symptoms: a fever exceeding 101 degrees, a cough, cold symptons, watery eyes and a rash. Children exhibiting these symptoms should be taken to a doctor or health clinic immediately.

Red measles can cause severe complications, including seizures and encephalitis, a swelling of membranes around the brain that can be fatal.

The outbreak has prompted officials to issue immunization guidelines for the center.

Normally, children are immunized for measles at 15 months. But because "we have a day care exposure, we are advising Fort Monroe to give single antigen measles vaccine to children between 6 and 14 months of age who attend the center," Rouse said.

Children should then receive the regular vaccine at 15 months. The vaccine also protects against rubella (German measles) and mumps.

So far, the health department has distributed 150 doses of the single antigen vaccine, Rouse said, with 70 doses to Langley, 60 doses to Fort Eustis and 20 retained by the city's health department.